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He that lieth down with
dogs shall rise up with fleas.
Benjamin Franklin
(17061790)
PERTH (Australia) Take note, the
following items are absolutely necessary to survival in the Australian
wilderness:
Water is not always as crucial as surviving the cold at night; shelter
can possibly be improvised with natural ground cover (as you'll learn
these clever boys did); a didgeridoo... well, ok, maybe you don't really
need a didgeridoo; but a dog is mandatory.
Two boys, aged 7 and 8, were found alive yesterday morning in the
Boranup Forest (300km south of Perth, Western Australia), having survived the bitterly cold
night wearing nothing more than T-shirts, shorts and jeans. They had
managed to keep warm by huddling close to their faithful dog, a Red Cloud
Kelpie.
The Sunday
Times reports that Colin Spence, 8, and Sheldon Quick, 7, had
accompanied Colin's father Barney on a day-trip to the forest area,
Tuesday. While the man, an artist, was engaged in painting the
scenery, the two boys and the dog strayed too far and got lost in the
bush.
At around 4:30pm, Mr. Spence realized that they were missing and
searched in vain for two hours. At length, he gave up and called the
authorities.
Meanwhile, rain and gale-force winds added to the hazards of the
terrain, which also included dangerous caves and unfamiliar
wildlife. At nightfall, temperatures dropped, but the boys kept warm
by gathering close to the dog who, in addition to guarding them from
potential predators, served as their radiator.
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"Latest news on the possible cause
of morning breath..."
(Thanks to Lisa for this great photo depicting how not
to sleep with the dog, if you care to wake up alive!)
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At around 6am, conditions
worsened even further with a hail storm, but the boys managed to fashion a
makeshift shelter at the base of a tree by piling leaves, bark and other
foliage over themselves and the dog.
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To see a list of Kelpies
looking for a home through the RSPCA
Western Australia,
click
here.
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Shortly after 9am, State
Emergency Service volunteers heard the boys' calls and found them and
their life-saving pooch about 2km into the forest "cold, wet and
miserable" but otherwise unharmed, police said.
"They're pretty switched
on for little kids," said Margaret River police Constable Tony Page.
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